https://www.chelseafc.com/en/about-chelsea/history/former-players/jimmy-greaves

Jimmy Greaves

• 22 Jan 2018

With 132 goals in 169 games for Chelsea, Jimmy Greaves will probably never be surpassed as the most prolific goalscorer the club has ever seen.

Greaves was signed as a junior in 1956 and the following year created a club record by scoring 114 goals in the youth team. It was inevitable that he would break through into the first team.

That he did on the opening day of the 1957/58 campaign, scoring in a 1-1 draw at Tottenham at the age of 17. Over the next four years he kept on scoring; 22 in that first season, 37 the next, then 30, and finally 43.

In all Greaves scored 13 hat-tricks for the club, including five in a game on three occasions and four another three times. His hat-trick against Manchester City in November 1960 included his 100th league goal. He was 20 years and 290 days old. This remains a league record.

During this time though we did not win a trophy and the board decided to cash in on their prize asset. They arranged a transfer to Milan against the player's wishes and Greaves last game for Chelsea was the final game of the 1960/61 season. He was made captain for the day and inevitably stole the show scoring all our goals in a 4-3 win.

After an unhappy year in Italy, Greaves wanted to return to Chelsea but the board did not want to get into a bidding war for the player and instead Jimmy signed for Tottenham where he continued to break records.

Jimmy Greaves was signed as a junior in 1956 and the following year created a club record by scoring 114 goals in the youth team.

That record is simply staggering by any standards.

1 hour ago, Ewell CFC said:

Just out of interest, where did you get air horns from back then?

Not in fashion these days, bit like rythymical hand clapping- most of the iconic songs from our terrace back catalogue that are still sung now, don’t involve any clapping, thank fcuk

Car spares shops. My brother in law was in the trade and used to get them at their cash and carry store. So the refill’s were cheap!   

Used to be an art getting it in the ground, it was in two pieces and clipped together. Had trouble at away grounds where I was searched thoroughly! If they found it I had to collect it from somewhere after the game. 

It was great though being able to start the crowd off with nine blasts of the horn followed by Chelsea!!

Speedie having his halftime cuppa.

 

 

Blues in Red

 

Edited July 19, 20196 yr by Scott

14 hours ago, erskblue said:

 Jimmy Greaves carried off the pitch by Chelsea fans after his final game for the club

How refreshing to see a photo of a great player, without a poxy mobile phone on a stick, shoved in his face by someone desperate to get a selfie with the man.

12 hours ago, F1905 said:

yeah he is about still but pretty poorly the last time i saw / heard about him..... maybe your right ,maybe  he saw himself more them than us as well.... who knows ....

on the back of OLDGIT above saying "everybody at the ground new they were witnessing a very special talent."  i suspect older CFC  must have been gutted when he went off to Italy and then back to that lot 

Yeah we were. To be honest, there wasn't the fanatical tribalism then, that was to come in the '60's and '70's onwards, so the Chelsea fans grudgingly accepted it, because everybody knew the club was skint, but looking back it was scandalous how the club was being run then by an inept boardroom.

13 hours ago, Peckham Blue said:

I don’t think he’s ever played his Spurs past down though or bigged  his Chelsea one up.  Maybe I’m being harsh but I always think of him as one of them rather than us. 

Is he still around, haven’t heard him for years. 

F**k Spurs. He'll always be a Chelsea boy to me.

1 hour ago, old git said:

F**k Spurs. He'll always be a Chelsea boy to me.

Well said.

7 hours ago, Scott said:

Speedie having his halftime cuppa.

 

 

Blues in Red

 

Ah players 'refuelling' during that season !

We've had worse close season signings than that group above.

 

Edited July 20, 20196 yr by erskblue

 v Bristol Rovers at The Bridge during 1979/80.

 Good shot of The Shed terracing in this photo,

 v Watford at the Bridge on 22nd  Sept 79  We won 2-0 with Gary Johnson scoring in the 42nd and 81st minutes.  21,480 saw it.

 v Man City 71/72.

 Wembley 86.

 George Best in a Chelsea strip for Peter Osgood's Testimonial match.

Edited July 20, 20196 yr by erskblue

 Dave Sexton And Brian Mears with the old Main Stand being destroyed behind them.

https://weaintgotnohistory.sbnation.com/2019/6/26/18759382/stamford-bridge-is-falling-down-kickstarter

 Mid 1970s ? It certainly looks like a packed Shed End anyway.

 Peter Osgood in action, late 60s.

 Not sure of the date. No' D' on the edge of penalty box anyway !

8 hours ago, Scott said:

Speedie having his halftime cuppa.

 

 

Blues in Red

 

The best ever summer transfer business the club has ever done, just think us old gits on here would have a lot less to talk about if THAT team hadn't been put together over that summer, to be honest this summer with Frank coming in is the most excited I've been since that summer and the following one when we went up.

Back of the old West Stand. With the Oswald Stoll Home on the right.

Back of the old West Stand. With the Oswald Stoll Home on the right.

2 hours ago, chi blue said:

The best ever summer transfer business the club has ever done, just think us old gits on here would have a lot less to talk about if THAT team hadn't been put together over that summer, this summer with Frank coming in is the most excited I've been since that summer and the following one when we went up.

This old git  is certainly guilty as charged .